US2077992A - Container closure - Google Patents

Description

April 20, 1937. .1.5. ElsEN 7 2,077,992

CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed April 1'7, 1955.

`ATTORNEY atented pr. 20, 1937 PATENT oFFicl:

CONTAINER CLOSURE Jay Bernard Eisen, Yonkers, N. Y., assigner to Ferdinand Gutmann corporation of New York Application April' rz,

'7 Claims.

'I'he invention-relates to container closures, and more particularly to a closure for use in preserving or canningfood-'stuffs by a process or procedure in which vapors arising from the heated contents of a container are utilized to expel atmospheric .air from the container and form an hermetic joint between the closure and the mouth of the container, so that with the subsequent condensation of vapor's, sub-atmospheric pressure is .10 developed within the container. g

Prior to'my present invention, in the production of a. vacuum pack of the character above described, I used a disc of metal foil, but experi- `mentation determined that such material alone could not be used with suiiiciently reliable results. This was due in part to the fact that during the preserving or canning operation there was a tendency, if a screw cap were used, to twist and wrinkle the metal foil with a resultant formation of channels or voids across the neck of the container through which air might gradually seep. I also have discovered that metal foil, in many instances,

has small openings or weak spots therein, so that when the inner seal disc is subjected to atmospheric pressure, air either escapes through existingvopenings in the foil into the container, or such openings are formed by the breaking down of the metal foil at weakened spots therein.

Another further difliculty with the use of the metal foil was that the high flexibility of such thin material would, bythe cupping of the disc, tend to break the bond between the disc and the mouth of the container, due to the .physical movement of the disc, particularly if there were a suiciently rapid condensation of the vapors within the container as to not allow a sufficient time interval for the setting of the adhesive used.

With the above conditions in-mind, Ihave afterl long experimentation, provided a container closure for use in preserving or canning foodstuffs, the

construction of which is such as to not only preclude the presence of minute openings through the sealing disc, but to prevent the formation of such openingsfrom differential pressures upon op- 4-5 posite sides of this disc, with the preponderating pressure exteriorly of the container and the disc.

The construction of the sealing disc and of the main closure carrying same, is such as to avoid turning of the disc when'applying the closure to the container or when finally aixing the main closure to the container, even though 'a screw threaded closure cap be used.

With the container closure embodying the invention, thereis always the possibility if a screw threaded re-seal cap be employed, thatwith a & Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., a.

1935, Serial No. 16,789 (Cl. 21S-43) Y premature final application of the outer closure, there may be afslight turning movement of the sealing disc notwithstanding that the purpose of the structure is to avoid such movement. 'I'his disc itself is therefore so constructed that even though there be such turning movement, there can beno deformation of the disc, as by wrinkllng or creasing, about the portion of the edge thereof in contact with the neck ofthe container. 'I 'he same structure which is relied upon to prevent distortion of the disc as a result of.` turning movement thereof, is relied upon to impart sufcient rigidity to the disc to prevent distortion thereof,'inwardly of the mouth of the container, to an extentto develop any material drag of the edge portion of the disc across the edge of the mouth of th container before the adhesive has become permanently set. Such distortion can occur only from the action of ordinary atmospheric pressure upon the top of the disc, and this may occur notwithstanding the use of an outer metallic shell having a exible liner for the purpose of supplementing the action of the disc in securing a desired permanency in the air tight joint formed ,between the disc and the neck of the bottle.

While a closure embodying the invention is suitable for use by canneries in the packaging of foodstuffs in glass jars, it is particularly adapted for use by the housewife in home preserving or canning since it may be eiectively used without the said of special vacuum apparatus.

In the use of a clsure embodying the invention, the inner seal obviates the necessity for the formation of an airtight closure by the compression of a rubber gasket, such as is characteristic of the well known Mason jar, and variations thereof, in use for more than half a century, and eliminates all possibility of failure to secure an air` tight jointbecause of defective gaskets and thel development of inadequate compressive 'stresses thereon.

With a closure of the invention, the difliculties of removing the closure from a container, characteristic of Mason jars, are absent, since the application of the outer cap is not relied upon to form a seal but merely as a protection against the accidental breaking of the closure effected by the inner disc seal.

The invention consists primarily in a container closure embodying therein an outer closure member having a skirt adapted to co-operate with the neck of a container for retaining said member 1 thereon, and a closure disc within, but separable from said member, consistingof a facing disc of normally highly flexible, non-absorbent mate- I rial, a backing disc of relatively thicker compressible 'material having a low degree of flexibility,

and having such rigidity as to prevent sufdcient.

prevented and any openings through said facing disc are sealed, said facing disc and said backing disc being of substantially the same diameter and V I exibility so as to impart a measurable degree of having their edges closely adjacent the skirt of said metal shell, whereby when applying the closure to a container, said facing disc will be engaged with the top of the mouth of the container,

and a heaty fusible dry adhesive upon the exposed surface of said facing disc adjacent the edge thereof, whereby the bond between the container and said closure member is between said facing disc andthe container; and 1n such other novel features of construction as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the upper portion of a container showing a closure embodying the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the top of the necky of al container with the inner sealing disc of the Aclosure applied thereto and the outer closure 1- In the embodiment of the invention shown inl the drawing, an ordinary glass container, which may take any desired form, is shown at III. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the neck H of the container is provided with exterior screw threads I2, and the top of the neck is provided with a at surface indicated at I3 to afford sufficient area to permit airm bonding of an inner sealingdisc thereto. As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the' neck of the container is so formed as to co-operate, with a well known form of friction cap, the

- container conforming in other respects with the showing of Fig. 1.

The closure proper comprises an outer closure member or cap I4 which may have an imperforate top I5 and a skirt I6 provided with screw threads :l adapted to co-operate with the screw threads Within said closure member is a liner I8 which may be of pulp board or Vany other compressible material so as to permit the use of the outer closure member for closing the container after a part of the contents has been removed therefrom. The` liner I8 is that commonly used in re-seal caps.

The member Ms'preferably drawn up from tin plate which may be suitably decorated, if -desired, 'and adjacent the top I5, the skirt I6 is of greater diameter, as indicated at I9, lthan the portion of the skirt more remote from the top. Materials other than tin plate may be used in forming the shell of the cap I4.

Within, but separable from. the member Il is an inner closure or sealing disc consisting of a facing disc 20 ordinarily of tin foil, although the material of this disc is not essential since it may be varied in adapting a closure for use in the canning or preserving of different foodstuffs. I have found, however, that it is desirable that this disc be made of thin, highly exible, non-absorbent material in order to get practical, satisfactory results.

Said closure or inner seal disc also includes therein a backing disc 2| of pulp board lor other compressible material having a low degree of rigidity to the facing disc 20 and the closure disc as a whole.

The facing disc 20 and the backing disc 2| are firmly bonded together by means of a stratum 22 of an adhesive so as to prevent relative movement of these discs, which relative movement might result in the formation of wrinkles or creases about the edge of the facing discfparticularly if a cap I4 having a screw threaded skirt is used.

Applied to the exposed side of the facing disc 20 is a coating of a heat fusible dry adhesive 23. While this adhesive may be applied only adjacent the edge of the di'sc 20 in a band or stripe of suilcient width to engage the full area of the top surface I3 of the neck of a. container', I preferably coat the entire surface of the disc therewith, since the use of a proper adhesive upon the exposed surface of thedisc 20 protects the material of this disc from the contents of a container to an extent to increase the range of materials which may beused in said disc.

I have secured excellent results in forming a bond between the disc 20 and the neck of a bottle by employing a well known form of cellulose derivative cement obtainable upon the open market, although other thermo-plastic cements, having a relatively high fusing point compared with waxes, may be employed if desired. TheA cellulose. derivative cements, however,have the advantage that they soften readily at temperatures lapproaching the .boiling point of water -and are not affected by normal -kitchen tem- I Furthermore, such adhesives vdo not than the top of the outer closure, but of slightly larger diameter than the lower portion of the skirt thereof. With this arrangement, said disc 20--23 has a free floating relation to the outer closure,r so that there is little or no likelihood 'of the turning of said disc with said outer closure when applying the closure to a container, or ifA the outer closure be tightened before the cement or adhesive forming the bond between the inner closure or sealing disc and the neck of the container has fully set.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 differs from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 merely in the form of the shell of the outer closure. 'I'his shell,V Il, has an imperforate top I5a and a skirt Ilia so formed as to frictionally engage the neck` I la of a container Illa..

vor sealing disc is of a diameter relatively less i The inner closure or seal used s the same as that heretofore described, so that the same reference letters are applied to the different laminae thereof.

In the use of a caplembodying the invention, the jars l are lled with foodstuffs, which are either at a temperature approximating 212 F. or are brought to this temperature, and a closure embodying the invention is applied to the container. The innervseal or closure disc is then brought into contact with the surface |3 of the container, by movement of the outer closure member I4 or Ma, either by a turning action of the closure, or by a direct movement thereof toward the neck of the bottle when a friction cover is used as illustrated in Fig.' 4. It is merely required that the coating 23 of adhesive be brought into contact with the surface I3, it being undesirable to develop any material pressure between the inner closure disc and the neck of the container, since it is required that the conditions be such as to permit the venting of air and vapor from the'container between the surface I3 and the adhesive coating 23 until the pressure of said vapors within the container equals atmospheric pressure. The time required to bring about this equilibrium of pressure is adequate to soften or fuse the cement of the coating 23, and when this occurs an airtight seal is formed about the mouth of the container, so that with the subsequent cooling of the container and its contents, -a vacuum, or sub-atmosp'heric pressure, will be developed as a result of the condensation of the vapors within the container. Since the adhesive sets in the course of a very. few seconds, the.eifectiveness of the 'bond increases as the container and its contents cool. This is because of the preponderating pressure upon the top of the inner closure disc.

Looseness of the outer closure I5 is desirable since it not only permits'the escape of air and vapor until the bond has been made, but also admits air at normal pressures upon the top o f the inner closure disc so as to utilize such pressure in forming the bond.

I vhave found that in wide mouthed jars if metal foil be used for the disc 2li, the aggregate pressure upon the top of the disc, and the relatively low pressure withinthe container, below the disc, will tend to draw the disc within the container,l or, cup it inwardly to an extent to cause lt, :adjacent its edge, to drag across the surface |3 to an extent to break the vacuum or sub-atmospheric' pressure Within the jar and destroy the eectiveness of the seal. This can occur only before the adhesive coating 23 has set sufficiently to ensure a permanent bond between the disc 20 and the container.

While the'adhesive 23 is capable of setting rapidly as heretofore stated, slow cooling of the container andfits contents may delay the setting of the adhesive, although an hermetic joint will be formed before the adhesive has finally set. Such slippage of the disc 20, if used alone, may not occur frequently, nevertheless there is always a possibility of the spoilage of the foodstus because` of such slippage, and since theuse of the semi-rigid backing disc-2| will resist deformation of the disc from exterior pressure to an extent to positively prevent such movement of the disc 2|), the practicability of the closure is secured solely by means of l,this disc 2|. Deformation or inward cupping of the ldisc 20,

if used alone, may result in the formation of.

channels between the disc' and the neck of the bottle, due to reduction in .the diameter of the disc by such cupping. The disc 2|, rmly bonded to said disc 20, in resisting such deformation or cupping of the latter, prevents this action.

The stratum 22 of adhesive is used mainly for the purpose of preventing relative movement of the discs.20 and 2|, to prevent wrinkling or creating of the thin material of the disc,

and close' any minute openings in the material of the disc 20. This adhesive stratum, however, also prevents any possible seepage .of air between the two discs. This last feature is highly desirable in a closure structure, the use of which contemplates the presence of air passages about the container, the outer closure or cap IB is re- 5 moved by hand, `no tools of any kind being required, and there being little resistance to the removal thereof since an airtight joint is secured without the aid of this closure. After said closure I4 is removed, the in'ner closureis removed by hand, or if desired, the closure may be so heated as to soften the adhe'sive 23 so that the inner closure or sealing disc may be freely lifted from the container.

From the foregoing it isobvious that in preserving or canning foodstuffs, it is merely necessary to apply the closure of the invention tothe container without attempting toV tighten same thereon, and that the heat incidental to the preserving or canning operation will result in the formation of an effective airtight joint, so that the subsequent cooling of the contents of the container and the resulting condensation of the vapors at the top thereof will develop the desired vacuum or sub-atmospheric pressure to complete the formation of the seal and establish and maintain conditions in the container which will pre-- considerable variation. A thicker disc 2| is required for use with wide mouthed jars than with smaller mouthed containers.

In other words, the degree of rigidity of this disc 2| must be proportionate to the aggregate pressure to which `it may be subjected. While the pressure per square inch will be substantially constant, the aggregate pressure resulting in deformation of the inner closure or sealing disc is determined by the diameter of this disc.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, isz- 1. A container closure embodying 'therein an outer closuremember having askirt adapted to cooperatewith the neck of a container for retaining said member thereon, and a closure disc within, but separable from said member, consisting of a facing disc of normally highly flexible, non-absorbent material, a backing disc of relatively thicker compressible material having a; low degree of flexibility, and having such rigidity as -to prevent suflicient displacement of the facing disc from 'pressures resulting from subatmospheric pressure' within a container to break the bond between the facing disc and the neck of the container, a stratum of adhesive bonding said facing disc to'said backing disc, whereby relative movement of said discs is prevented and any openings through said facing` disc are sealed, said facing disc and said backing disc being of substantially thesame diameter and having their edges closely adjacent the skirtof said metal shell, whereby when aplying the closure to a container, said facing disc will be engaged with the top of the mouth of the container, and a heat fusible dry adhesive upon the exposed surface of said facing discadjacent the edge thereof,

whereby the bond between the container Vand said closure member is between said facing disc and the container. -1

2. A container closure embodying therein an outer closure member having a skirt provided l with a portion, adjacent the top thereof, of greater diameter than toward the bottom, said skirt being adapted to co-operate with the neck of a container for retaining said member thereon. and a closure disc within said member of smaller diameter than the portion of the skirt toward the top thereof, whereby said disc has a fulliioating relation to said outer closure and is separable therefrom, said disc consisting of a facing disc of normally highly flexible, non-absorbent material, a backing disc of relatively thicker compressible material having a low degree of flexibility and having such rigidity as to prevent suilicient displacement of the facing disc from pressures resulting from sub-atmospheric pressure within a container to break the bond between the facing disc and the neck of the container, a stratum of adhesive bonding said facing disc to said backing disc, whereby relative movement of said discs is prevented and any openings through said facing disc are sealed, said facing disc and said backing disc being of substantially the same diameter and having their edges closely adjacent the skirt of said metal shell, whereby when applying the closure to a container, said facing disc will bel engaged with the top of the mouth of the container, anda heat fusible dry adhesive upon the exposed surface of said facing disc adjacent the edge thereof, whereby the bond between the container and said closure member is between said facing disc and the container.

3. A container closure `embodying therein-an outer closure member having a skirt adapted to col-operate with the neck of a container for retaining said member thereon, and a closure disc within, but separable from said member, consisting of, a facing disc of normally highly flexible, non-absorbent material, a backing disc of relatively thicker compressible material having a low degree of'iiexibility, and having such rigidity as to prevent suflicient displacement of the facing disc from pressures resulting from sub-atmospheric pressure within a container to break the bond between the facing disc and the neck of the container, a stratum of adhesive bonding said facing disc to said backing disc, whereby relative movement of said discs is prevented and any openings through said facing disc are sealed, said facing disc and said backing disc being of substantially the same diameter and having their edges closely adjacent the skirtof said metal shell, whereby when applying the closure to a container,'said facing disc will be engaged with the top of the mouthof the container, and a coating of dry, heat fusible adhesive throughout the exposed surface of said facing disc, whereby the bond between the container and said closure member is between said facing disc and the container.

4. A container closure embodying therein an outer closure member having a skirt provided with a portion, adjacent the top thereof, of greater diameter than toward the bottom, said skirt being adapted to co-operate withthe neck of a container for retaining said member thereon, and a closure disc within said member of smaller diameter than the portion 'of the skirt toward the top thereof. whereby said disc has a full oatlng relation to said outer closure and is separable therefrom, said disc consisting of a facing disc of normally highly flexible, non-absorbent material, a backing disc of relatively thicker compressible material having a low degree of flexibility and having such rigidity as to prevent sufficient displacement of the facing disc from pressures resulting from sub-atmospheric pressure within a container to bre'ak the bond between the facing disc and the neck of the container, a stratum of adhesive bonding said facing disc to said `backing disc, whereby relative movement of said discs isA prevented and any openingsithrough said facing disc are sealed, said facing disc and said backing disc being of substantially'tlhe same diameter and having their edges closely adjacent the skirt of said metal shell, whereby when applying the clo. sure to a container, said facing disc will be engaged with the top of the mouth of the container, and" a coating of dry, heat fusible adhesive throughout the exposed surface of said facing the 'facing disc from pressures resulting from sub-atmospheric pressure within a container to break the bond between the facing disc and the neck of the container, a stratum of adhesive bonding said facing disc-to said backing disc, whereby relative movement of said discs is4 p'revented and any openings through said facing disc are sealed, said facing discand said backing disc being of substantially the same diameter and having their edges closely adjacent the skirt of said metal shell, whereby when applying the closure to a container, said facing disc will be engaged with the top of 'the mouth of the container, and a heat fusible dry adhesive upon the exposedsurface of said facing disc adjacent the edge thereof, whereby the bond between thecontainer and said closure member is between said facing disc yand the container.

6. A container closure embodying therein an outer closure member having a skirt adapted to co-operate with the neck of a container for retaining said member thereon, and a closure disc acmeea within, but separable from said member, consisting of a facing disc of metal foil, a backing disc of pulp board ofa thickness to possess a lower degree of fiexibi1ity,land having such rigidity as 5 to prevent sufficient displacement of the facing disc from pressures resulting from sub-atmospheric pressure within a container to break the bond between the facing disc and the neck of the container, a stratum of adhesive bonding said facing disc to said backing disc, whereby relative movement of said discs is prevented and any openings through said facing disc are sealed said facing disc and said backing disc being of substantially the same diameter and having their edges closely adjacent the skirt of said metal shell, whereby when applying the closure to a container, said facing disc will be engaged with the top of the mouth of the container, and a heat fusible dry adhesive upon the exposed surface of said facing disc adjacent the edge thereof, where- Y by the bond between the container and said closure member is between said facing disc and the container.

'7. A container' closure embodying therein an outer closure member having a skirt provided with a portion, adjacent the top thereof, of greater diameter than toward the bottom, said skirt being' adapted to co-operate with the neck of a container for retaining said member thereon, and a closure disc within said member of smaller diameter than the portion of the skirt toward the top neck of the container, a stratum of adhesive bondy ing said facing disc to said backing disc, whereby relative movement of said discs is prevented and any openings through said facing disc are sealed, said facing disc and said backing disc being of substantially the same diameter and'having their edges closely adjacent the skirt of said metal shell, whereby when applying the closure to a container, said facing disc will lbe engaged with the top of the mouth of the container, and a coating of dry, heat fusible adhesive throughout the exposed surface of said facing disc, wherebythe bond between the container and said closure member is between said facing disc and the container.

JAY BERNARD EISEN.

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